In Australian Patent Number 674764 in the name of the present applicant there is described and claimed a Pizza and Pasta Drive-Thru Facility. It relates to a facility for preparing and storing pizza and pasta in a fresh condition for a relatively long period of time.
An important component of this facility is a means for storing the cooked food and maintaining it within a predetermined heat and moisture range. This enables the food to be prepared ahead of time and stored until purchased by a customer.
It is known that in the delivery of fast food, the food for consumption is prepared in advance of the customer's order such that it is available to them immediately. It is known that some food holding cabinets contain heating elements or heated shelves which continue to cook the food and its packaging container whilst it is being stored, rendering it unfit for consumption after some minutes. It is also known to use moisture and heat within the holding cabinets to keep food for longer periods but it is found that opening these cabinets to insert and/or remove food items causes a large degree of temperature and related humidity variation, leading to extended periods where the cabinet is not at its desired temperature and/or humidity level.
The present invention attempts to overcome at least in part the aforementioned disadvantages of previous hot food holding cabinets.